Patients with gallbladder stones are prone to gallbladder inflammation and abdominal pain from eating a greasy diet, which leads some patients to eat pickles and rice for a long time to relieve abdominal pain, and then to induce gallbladder inflammation once they eat greasy food. Some patients even reach the point of “talking about eating”. At this point, your doctor will recommend surgery to remove your gallbladder. However, you have concerns about your diet after gallbladder removal and are worried about whether you need to avoid fatty foods for a long time after surgery. Gallbladder and digestion The gallbladder is a small organ located below the liver, and its main function is to store and concentrate bile. Remember: bile is a fluid secreted by the liver to help digest high-fat foods. The main purpose of the gallbladder in concentrating bile is to increase the ability to digest fat. If you need surgery to remove your gallbladder, your liver will still produce enough bile for normal digestion, but instead of storing it in the gallbladder, it will flow directly from the liver into the small intestine. After gallbladder removal, you may experience a slight decrease in your ability to digest fats early on, then your body will gradually adapt to this new environment and your digestion will not be affected, and most people do not experience digestive problems after gallbladder removal. Therefore, depending on your body’s ability to adapt, it is important to adjust your diet for a short period of time in the early post-operative period. Dietary adjustments after gallbladder surgery It is important to follow your doctor’s instructions regarding your diet after gallbladder surgery. Generally, you will transition from a liquid diet to a semi-liquid diet on the first day after gallbladder surgery, and you can slowly start adding solid foods on the second day. 1. It is a good idea to avoid high-fat foods for a few weeks after gallbladder removal. High-fat foods include: fried foods such as French fries and potato chips, high-fat meats such as bacon, salami, sausage, ground beef and ribs, high-fat dairy products such as butter, cheese, ice cream, cream, whole milk and sour cream, and broths and chocolates. 2. Certain foods that are high in fiber and produce gas can also cause discomfort after gallbladder surgery, so you may want to add them to your diet slowly. These foods include: whole grain breads and cereals, nuts, etc. 3. Adding more soluble fiber to your diet may be beneficial because it can help regulate bowel movements. Good sources of soluble fiber include oats and barley. 4, Avoiding large meals is a good idea because your body can’t store as much bile as it used to. Eating smaller, more frequent meals may be easier to digest. 5, Spicy foods may also cause indigestion for a period of time after gallbladder removal. 6. To figure out which foods (if any) can cause problems after surgery, you might consider keeping a food journal. In this log, you can record which foods cause you discomfort and possibly connect the two. Caution In general, most patients will not experience any discomfort after cholecystectomy, but a small percentage of patients will experience increased stool frequency in the early post-cholecystectomy period, primarily due to a decreased ability to digest fat, which will return to normal after a period of adaptation (3 months). In other words, patients can fully return to a normal diet after cholecystectomy and do not need to avoid eating. However, if you have any of the following symptoms, be sure to contact your surgeon, as they may indicate more serious complications: 1. persistent abdominal pain 2. severe nausea or vomiting 3. jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes) 4. difficulty passing stool for more than three days after surgery 5. inability to fart for more than three days after surgery 6. frequent diarrhea lasting for more than three days after surgery